Why we're really scared of the TVs that spy on us

The privacy policy for Samsung's cutting edge smart TV warns users that anything they say within the vicinity of the telly could be recorded

Ellen E. Jones
Friday 13 February 2015 01:00 GMT
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US activist group Electronic Frontier Foundation has drawn the world’s attention to the small print in Samsung's smart TV privacy policy
US activist group Electronic Frontier Foundation has drawn the world’s attention to the small print in Samsung's smart TV privacy policy

Ever fancied yourself and your family as the new stars of Channel 4's Gogglebox? Be careful what you wish for. We may all soon be watched as we watch, and in a far more sinister way than previously imagined.

An activist for US-based group Electronic Frontier Foundation has drawn the world’s attention to the small print in the privacy policy for Samsung’s cutting edge smart TV. It warns users that anything they say within the vicinity of the telly could be recorded: “Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of voice recognition.”

Actually, this sort of nightmare, spy-in-the-home scenario has been feasible for some time, thanks to a variety of other voice command and webcam-equipped household devices. If you’re reading this on a laptop right now, for instance, then, for all you know, the webcam is simultaneously transmitting pictures of your gorgeous face to hacker-perverts on the other side of the globe. Say cheese!

The prospect of a spying TV is particularly unnerving, however, but not because the breach of our privacy is any more flagrant. While most people use their computer in near-silence, lots of us talk out loud to our television set and as Gogglebox fans will attest, the things we say can be very revealing. We shout out the answers to questions on Pointless, shout abuse at politicians on Question Time and offer encouragement to favourite soap opera characters when they’re going through a hard time (“Noooo Michelle! Don’t give him another chance!”). Or is that just me?

The Casual Vacancy vs Indian Summers - which should you watch?

This Sunday evening two major new TV dramas begin. On BBC One there’s an adaptation of The Casual Vacancy, J.K. Rowling’s ghost story for adults, starring Rory Kinnear and Michael Gambon. Then, on Channel 4, in the same 9pm slot, it’s Indian Summers, a sumptuous period piece set in the foothills of the Himalayas during the last days of the Raj. But which one should be your Sunday night drama of choice?

If you like your brassy local busybodies played by Julie Walters (as is traditional) then it’s Indian Summers for you, but to see Keeley Hawes cast against type in that role, try The Casual Vacancy instead. The Casual Vacancy is also the one to watch for a searing indictment of modern British values, but if you prefer to contemplate social injustice through the soft-focus lens of history, it’s Indian Summers. Ultimately, though, the decision will have to be a practical one. Watch one and record the other, by all means, but note that while Indian Summers requires ten weeks of committed viewing, The Casual Vacancy reaches a snappier conclusion after just three episodes.

Breaking Bad-inspired exhibition opens in London

Netflix’s Better Call Saul has had a surprisingly warm reception from fans of its parent show Breaking Bad. It’s proof that the creative legacy of a great TV show can live on long after the final episode airs. Nor is that legacy limited to other TV programmes.

The difference between a series that’s merely popular and a truly cult show, is that only the latter inspires ‘fan art’. Tumblr is full of lovingly rendered Photoshop homages to Walt, Jesse and the rest of the gang and now fan art has finally graduated to fine art.

Ralph Steadman has created illustrations inspired by Breaking Bad

This weekend an exhibition opens at the 71a gallery in London featuring Breaking Bad-inspired works by the legendary illustrator and cartoonist, Ralph Steadman. Steadman is best known for his Hunter S. Thompson collaborations, but now he’s put pen to paper to commemorate a different sort of druggie drama; the release of the Breaking Bad Blu-ray Steelbooks.

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Bloodline - The Official Trailer, You Tube

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